Monthly Spotlight - Dennis Gonzalez (HHS/IEA), NYC FEB Board Chair Q&A

Q1: What Board do you serve on for the FEB Eastern Region and in what capacity?

A1: I am the chair of the New York City FEB in the Eastern Region.  I have had the honor to serve as chair since 2018.  But I have been involved with the NYC-FEB since I joined federal service in 2004.

Q2: What is unique about your agency’s mission?

A2: The Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS) is the largest department in terms of budget in the entire federal government.  We account for ¼ of the federal government’s 5+ trillion-dollar budget.  We are often called the “compassionate agency”, which is very much aligned with our mission to help and provide services to the least fortunate among us.

Q3: How does your agency collaborate with the Federal Executive Boards? What benefits have you noticed from this collaboration?

A3: HHS has always had a strong relationship with the FEB, not just in NYC, but also in many other areas across the country.  HHS has more grant finding programs than all the other federal agencies combined, and sometimes getting out the information about these grants can be challenging.  One great example of the excellent and productive collaboration between HHS and the FEB is that we often utilize our local FEB to amplify our programs and services.

Q4: How has the FEB impacted your relationships with federal/state/local agencies?

A4: As a federal official, I have found no better vehicle or instrument to network with other federal colleagues than my involvement with the FEB.  The FEBs provide extraordinary opportunities to collaborate, coordinate and communicate among federal agencies and federal officials.

Q5: How do FEB programs/services align with your agency’s mission and priorities?

A5: The FEB provides opportunities for HHS to collaborate with other federal agencies that have similar missions and goals.  Moreover, we are able to utilize the FEB to help with the professional development of our employees through excellent and relevant training sessions and seminars, including the opportunity to participate in educational programs offered by leading institutions of higher learning.  Also, recognizing and rewarding employees who have performed exceptional service is key to encourage our employees to continue providing the best service possible, and through the FEB’s annual employees awards program we are able to do so.

Q6: What outcomes/goals would you like to achieve through collaborating with the FEBs?

A6: Not only as an FEB chair, but also as a federal agency head, I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to leverage the networking and training opportunities that are unique to the FEBs. I look forward to continuing this partnership that I am certain will not only continue to benefit HHS, but more importantly, benefit the constituents we serve.